President calls for unity while reaching out to his opponent

ABUJA, Nigeria - Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan has been declared winner of presidential elections in a landmark vote that exposed regional tensions and led to deadly rioting in the mainly Muslim north.

Jonathan, the incumbent and first president from the southern oil-producing Niger Delta region, won 57 percent of the vote in Africa's most populous nation, easily beating his northern rival, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari.

Final results declared on Monday evening, which the opposition rejected, gave Jonathan 22.5 million votes, while Buhari received 12.2 million votes for 31 percent.

The president reached out to his opponents in a victory speech and called for national unity, while also saying that Africa's largest oil producer had shown itself capable of holding fair polls.

"I congratulate the candidates of the other political parties," he said. "I regard them not as opponents, but as partners."

Jonathan mentioned by name the other main candidates in the race, including Buhari, saying he wanted to pay tribute to them.

Observers have hailed the conduct of the poll as a major step forward for a nation with a history of violent and deeply flawed elections.

Agence France-Presse